So, I bought a VF 20 1899 Barber Quarter. Pics of it are on another thread. I WAS going to bust it out for a CAPS album but upon close inspection I noticed this: As you can see, or at least I can, a gash between the R and D, (just above) umm, wouldn't this be a details coin? It's not so small that it can't be missed. On one hand I'm upset cause it SHOULD be a problem free coin, I mean that is the point of reputable TPGs right? Or am I off base here?
We're gonna need better pics, boss. I'd imagine they give small gash's a little more lee-way on circulated coins than on uncirculated. Possibly, nasty enough for a downgrade; but conceivable enough it happened with normal wear, it wouldn't be considered details?
To me looks like a O mint Mark with PMD. Look at the top part. Sure looks curved, and placement seems right. Sent from my ZTE B2017G using Tapatalk
Even if it was an O, why would anyone gouge a coin like that? Others should post their details coins that we're straight graded. Get a list going and keep track.
Looks fine for a 20. Appears to be old and the same color, its not in a focal point, not even on the obverse. Things happen in circulation
I wonder if I send it in if I can get the coin attributed to an 1899 O. I think the 1899 O has about 1.2 million for the mintage. but I don't even know if it would be worth it.
I don't know what you people think you are seeing, but there is definitely no "phantom" O mintmark on that coin. Compare the OP's coin to literally any coin in the Heritage archives. There is no O: https://coins.ha.com/c/search-resul...13+4294967061+1585&ic4=Refine-MintMark-102615 If there was an O, it still wouldn't be worth it to send it in - as you can see, the 99O in VF-20 is worth maybe $75. Now, back to the actual mark: it is a decent sized mark, for sure. However, it is within tolerance for problem-free grading. Would I want it on my coin? No. I'd return it (if possible). Yeah, this is a really common misconception. You'll find all kinds of junk coins in the top TPG slabs. Cleaning, hairlines, marks, gashes, incredibly ugly... just because a holder says VF-20 doesn't mean that it's going to meet your standards. It only means that it is considered market acceptable to a large percentage of the market.
I think I've come across one before also (might even have an example- will have to do some digging). Google is not helping me at all at the moment, but I want to swear I've come up with information about this in the past. I think the conclusion was it is a hardness test mark. If my memory serves me correctly, the census was it was a shopkeeper or banker who thought it was cute to leave a chopmark* where the MM would be located. *more like a chisel mark, but I don't really know what else to call it... a rockwell-hardness-test-done-with-a-chisel?